The 30-year-old has arguably deserved a say in such matters given what he’s offered to the club over the past 16 years, scoring 525 goals in 607 appearances in all competitions which has led to countless trophies and individual accolades.

As he enters the latter stages of his career, he’ll surely want to know what the Catalan giants intend on doing to remain competitive, and so it does seem to make sense that reports continue to suggest he is having a say in such matters.

According to Don Balon, as re-reported by The Express, He’s less than impressed with the possibility of Gremio youngster Arthur arriving in the January transfer window as an alternative to Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho.

And who could blame him. One major problem from Barcelona’s perspective is the price-tag, with Guillem Balague dismissing talk that Coutinho could cost €140m, as per Sky Sports, but that remains the figure being touted by the Catalan media as he concedes.

However, there’s no denying the huge difference between the two reported targets. One is a talent and top prospect who has made an impression in his homeland, while the other is a 25-year-old world-class player reaching his prime and displaying his skills in the Premier League on a weekly basis.

Coutinho has scored 10 goals and provided eight assists in 17 appearances in all competitions so far this season, as he continues to play a fundamental role for the Reds despite all the talk surrounding his future.

In turn, if the report is true, it’s difficult to disagree with Messi being disappointed with Barcelona considering an alternative, but they’ve also got to be realistic and decide on what they can offer to finally try and prise him away from Anfield without overspending